Violet is Blue (Hothouse series) (11 page)

“You don’t know if anything is down there but dirt and cobwebs.”

“C’mon. One quick peek, and then we’ll go.” He took out his zippo lighter, flicked it on, and started down the stairs.  I followed him because I didn’t want to be left alone in the kitchen.

There wasn’t much downstairs except for a washer and dryer, another refrigerator, some shelves with what looked like some canned goods and tools and other manly stuff that I didn’t recognize except knowing they had to do with cars and stuff, stacked on them. It was cool and musty in the air.  I shivered, and wrapped my arms around myself.

“There’s nothing. Let’s just go.”

“Wait. What about that?”  He pointed to a door, with a padlock on it.  “No one puts a padlock on, unless they are hiding something.”

“Maybe, but there’s no way to get in, so it doesn’t matter.”

“There’s always a way.”  He went to the shelves and started to rummage through everything.  “Cool.” He turned around to show me the ax he’d found.

“Devon.”

“What?”

“You’re kind of freaking me out now.”

He didn’t respond but took the ax to the door. He handed me the zippo lighter. “Here, hold this near the lock, so I can see.”

I did as he asked, just as he hefted the ax up into the air and brought it down. The clang of metal on metal was almost deafening. He hit the lock repeatedly and I didn’t think it was going to break.  Until it did.

“Yeah!” He tossed the ax down and took off the padlock and swung open the door.  He reached for the zippo. “Here. Let me go first.”

I let him because he was so determined and I didn’t think I could stop him anyway. I followed him into the darkness. There were no windows in the room, so it was pitch black save for the faint flicker of the flame from Devon’s lighter.

“I can’t see fuck all.”

I reached to my right and felt along the wall for a light switch. I found one and flicked it on. Bright light instantly flooded the room, partially blinding me.  I had to blink back the black spots in my eyes.

“Holy shit,” Devon said.

I stood beside Devon and gaped.

Along one wall there were several large bulletin boards nailed to it. And on those boards were dozens of pictures.  Mostly pictures of me.

I took a few shaky steps forward to examine the pictures. I saw ones of me at the mall with Dahlia and Ivy, ones of me at school, me and Mark playing tennis, me and Mark jogging together.  There were some individual ones of my mom and of Mark.  And even pictures of Devon and Jordan.

“Wow. This guy is a freak.”

I couldn’t believe what I was looking at.  It was over a year of my life pinned on the wall. These pictures weren’t just from the last month or so, but from the winter, and last spring. And they were arranged in chronological order. Patrick had been watching me since he’d come to work for my mom.

I slid out my cell phone and took a bunch of pictures of the wall. I was going to give this to the police ASAP.

“Oh shit. We need to leave right now.”

I swung around to see Devon standing by a desk with the drawer open. I went over to see what he was gawking at.

Inside was a gun, with a case of bullets.

All the blood drained from my face. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat. “Oh Jesus.”

“C’mon.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the door.

Except we couldn’t leave.

Patrick stood in the doorway. “Hey Violet. What are you doing?”

––––––––

“A
h, it’s not what it looks like.” I backed up a little.

“Well, it looks like you broke into my house.”

“Okay, maybe that part is true.”

Devon moved in front of me. “Leave her alone, douche bag.  Your stalking days are over.”

“Stalking?” he frowned, then looked past us to the wall.  “Oh, shit, you’ve got the wrong idea.”

“Save it, dickwad. She’s not listening to your crap anymore.”  Devon squeezed my hand once, then let go.  “Run Violet!”

He shot forward and plowed right into Patrick. They both hit the wall, in a tangle of arms and legs.  I hesitated at first, worried for Devon, but I knew I had to run. This was our best shot at getting out of here.  I would run outside and call the police.

I dashed for the door, just as Patrick struck Devon in the side of the face, stunning him. Devon stumbled back and nearly collided with me. But I managed to avoid his flying body and crossed the threshold.

“Violet! Wait!” Patrick called after me.

I didn’t stop. I kept running. I reached the stairs.

“Violet!  I’m a cop!”

My foot missed the first step and I fell sideways into the wall.  I righted myself and turned to look at Patrick. “What?”

“I’m a police officer.  I’ve had you under surveillance for the past year.”

Devon came out of the room, rubbing his face. There was blood on his lip and chin. “Run Violet. It’s a trick.”

Patrick reached into his back jean pocket and pulled out a wallet. He flipped it open to reveal a badge.  He held it up. “See?”

“It could be fake,” Devon said.

“Toss it to me,” I said, although I had no idea how to tell a fake badge from a real one.

He did and I picked it up and studied it. It said Detective Patrick Graham. It looked real and official to me.

My knees gave out and I had to sit down on the stairs.  “What’s going on? Why do you have all those pictures of me?”

Patrick took a few steps toward me, but he also had his eyes on Devon as well. He probably didn’t want another unwarranted attack to happen. “I’ve been investigating your family.”

“What? Why?”

He ran a hand over his face and sighed. “I shouldn’t be telling you this. Jesus.”

“Tell me, Patrick. Please. I’ve been going crazy lately.”

“I believe Mark is laundering money through the real estate company.”

“That’s not possible. You’re mistaken.”

My heart pounded so hard in my chest I could feel my pulse roaring in my ears.

“It’s possible, Violet. I have the proof.” He put out his hand toward me. “I’ll show you.”

I took it and he pulled me up, and led me back into his little policing room. Devon followed us back in as well.

“Hey, man, I’m sorry about tackling you there,” he said to Patrick, a sheepish look on his face.

Patrick shook his head. “No worries. You thought you were protecting Violet. I understand that.”

“Why do you have so many pictures of me? Doesn’t make sense.”

“Well at first I thought your mom was in on it.”

“No way...”

“But after being around her, I quickly ruled it out.”

I shook my head. This was unbelievable. Mark was a good guy. He’d always been there for my mom and me especially after my dad died. There was no way he was a criminal.

“Why have you been following me then?”

“Because Mark’s behavior toward you has been strange. He’s been following you around for months. I think he’s been the one sending you flowers and stuff.”

I nearly puked. I wobbled a bit and Devon had to hold me up. “Oh God. That can’t be true.”

He put his hand on my shoulder.  “I also think he may be responsible for your father’s death.”

I whipped my head up and stared at him.  My head was swimming. I could barely focus on anything.  “No. It was a car accident. It was bad weather and he was coming to see me in the school play.”

“That’s what Hannah thought, that’s what was in the report, but Mark was with him that night.”

“No.” I shook my head vehemently. “No. I don’t believe you.”

“Mark’s a dangerous man, Violet. He’s a career criminal. I believe your father may have found that out. I have the proof, if you want to see it. If it will help.”

“Well I for one, would love to see it.”

We all turned toward the door. Mark stood in the threshold. He had a look on his face I’d never seen before.  One of cruel amusement.

Patrick went to move toward him, but Mark raised his hand. He had a gun and it was pointed at us.

“Surprised to see me?” He smiled, as he stepped into the room. “Your mom sent me out to find you. She was worried you were going to do something stupid.”

“It’s not true, is it?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. “He has it all wrong, right? You didn’t do these things?”

“Oh my dear Violet.  You are quite naive, aren’t you?” His face softened a little. “But that’s what I love about you. Your innocence.” Then he waved the gun at Devon. “Until you fucked around with this one. You put on quite the show earlier.” He took out his cell phone and waggled it back and forth. “I recorded it. I hope you don’t mind.”

Devon made a move toward him, but Patrick held him back.

“Oh he’s feisty.” Mark laughed.

Patrick moved in front of Devon and I, with his hand up. “Mark, you don’t need the gun. We can talk about this rationally.”

“And Patrick. Wow. I had no idea. You’re quite the actor.  You really had me there thinking you were just some office flunky panting for my daughter.”

“I am not your daughter,” I spat out as vehemently as I could.

“Oh come on, Violet.  Haven't I been the father you always wanted?  Didn't you wish for a father who understood you, respected you?  After Jack died, didn't you thank God that your mom married fun Uncle Mark?”

The tears came then at the mention of my dead father. I’d loved him so much that Mark speaking about him like that ripped apart my heart all over again.

“Why are you doing this?”

“Because of you, darling.  I want you all to myself.”

“C'mon Mark,” Patrick reasoned, “Let the kids go.  I know how much you love Violet.  Don't do this to her.”

“Fuck you, pig. You don’t know me.”  Mark gestured with the gun.  “Step away from her. Both of you.”

Devon looked at me. I know he didn’t want to. But I also didn’t want him to get hurt. I’d die if he got injured because of me.

“It’s not going to happen, Mark,” Patrick said.

“Oh it is going to happen, or I’m going to shoot her in her fucking face.”

“Okay, relax.”  Patrick took a few steps away from me.  He glanced at Devon. “Do what he wants.”

Devon let go of my arm, and took one step away from me. He glared at Mark the entire time.

“Think you’re tough, don’t you boy?”

“I could fuck you up, old man.”

Patrick groaned. “Devon. Shut up.”

Mark sneered, then struck as quick as a snake, and hit Devon across the face with the butt of his gun.  Blood exploded from his nose. He immediately brought his hands up to stem the flow.

I reached for him. “Oh Devon.”

“Get away from him!” Mark yelled as he went to grab for me, the gun aimed at the ceiling.

And that’s when Patrick launched into action.

He grabbed Mark around the waist and bulldozed him into the wall. The gun went off, the bullet hitting high in the ceiling.

I screamed.

“Run Violet!” Patrick shouted.

I looked at Devon, and reached for his hand to pull him with me.

He shook his head, and was already motioning toward Mark and Patrick, who were trying to wrestle for control of the gun and the situation.  “Go!  Run!  I have to help Patrick.”

“No! Not without you!”

Mark was getting the better of Patrick. It wouldn’t be long before he had complete control again.  Devon ran at the two men, blood dripping down his face. He reached for Mark’s right arm.

I hesitated. I didn’t want to leave Devon. What if something worse happened to him? I’d never forgive myself for it. But I also knew we needed help. I needed to call the police and get Patrick some backup.  I couldn’t stay here in this room and do that.

So I ran.

I had my phone out the moment I hit the stairs and I dialed 911.

Then I heard a shot ring out. It echoed through the basement and made my ears vibrate.  Gasping, I turned to go back to the room, when I saw Devon stumble out. He held his arm against his chest. Blood stained his shirt. It dripped down onto his jeans.

He turned to look at me with a gaze of shock. “Man, this fucking hurts.” Then he fell to the ground.

I screamed for him.

Then there was another gunshot.  Mark came out of the room, with blood splatters on his clothes.

I didn’t hesitate this time. I turned to run up the stairs, and I ran into the hand rail. I dropped my phone, but I didn’t have time to stop and pick it up.  I booked it as fast as I could upwards.

When I came out into the kitchen, I dashed through to the living room, then out the front door. I looked at Devon’s car, but I didn’t have the keys. He did.  So I ran next door.

“Help me!”

I pounded on the front door.  No lights snapped on. A dog barked in the distance.  I screamed for help again, but there was no answer from anyone in the house or the other houses nearby. It wasn’t that late, but the whole street seemed asleep.

I was on my own. And I did the only thing I could think of doing. I ran.

I booked it across the street and headed toward the cemetery. I could run through it and end up on the other side and close to my house. I knew of all the shortcuts I could take as well. The only problem was so did Mark.

As I ran I risked a glance behind me.  I spied Mark dashing across the road to come after me.  It took everything in me not to scream.  I needed my oxygen for my legs if I was going to make it.

“Running is pointless Violet. I’m faster than you.”

I pumped my arms and legs harder. I ran faster than I ever have along the cemetery fence, looking for the gate.  I could see it just up ahead.  Ten more long strides and I’d be there. But when I came up on it, I saw it was locked.
Shit!

Without thinking, I grabbed the bars on the metal and climbed.  I reached the top and had to carefully swing my legs over, or be impaled on the cast iron spikes that all cemeteries seemed to have.  Just as I swung over, Mark reached the gate.  He reached through the bars and grabbed at my leg.  I tried to kick him off, but he was too strong.

He yanked hard and I fell backwards. My arm scraped against the fence spires. The pain zipped up my arm to my shoulder. My skin was for sure punctured. I could feel the flood already dripping down from my hand.